Completing Potions in the Obojima Campaign Setting for DND

Select Language:

In any Dungeons & Dragons campaign, potion brewing is a fascinating gameplay feature, but it becomes particularly interesting in the setting of Obojima: Tales From The Tall Grass. This unique environment includes a variety of mechanics for potion brewing, featuring distinct ingredients, effects, and much more.

If you’re exploring this setting for the first time, you may be curious about how the potion brewing system works. That’s why we’ve put together this guide—here’s everything you need to know about gathering ingredients, concocting various potions, and more in the Obojima: Tales From The Tall Grass campaign.

How Potion Types Function

To effectively brew potions in Obojima, it’s essential to grasp how potion types are categorized. There are three distinct categories of potions you can create:

Potion Type	Description
Combat	Combat potions grant enhancements and special abilities beneficial in battles. ADVERTISEMENT
Utility	Utility potions can be helpful during combat but are primarily beneficial outside of it.
Whimsy	Whimsy potions offer unusual effects, delivering playful and quirky results.

In addition to these potion types, potions vary in rarity, ranging from common to rare, much like the magic item system in Dungeons & Dragons.

Understanding Ingredients

Ingredients are the essential components needed to create potions within the Obojima setting. There are 130 known ingredients on the island that can be gathered through foraging.

Similar to potion rarity, ingredients also come in different rarities.

Gathering Ingredients

While some ingredients can be purchased or bartered, most elements require foraging and are scattered across various locations.

You can find ingredients in two main categories:

The Wild
Abandoned Machinery

When collecting ingredients, you will need to make a Survival check for wild ingredients, and a Salvage check for those found in machinery.

Your DM will set a Difficulty Class (DC) based on the rarity of the ingredient and its typical location.

Before you start foraging, check the Potion Ingredient List in the Obojima campaign sourcebook to identify rarity and common spots.

Using Almanacs for Ingredients

Beyond foraging, players should utilize Almanacs.

Almanacs are volumes that act as guides to the ingredients found in Obojima. There are seven different Almanacs available:

Brackwater Wetlands: The Crowsworn
Coastal Highlands: League of the Gilded Gourd
Gale Fields: Fish Head Coven
Gift of Shuritashi: The Tall Hats
Land of Hot Water: Patchwork Robe Coven
Mount Arbora: Cloud Cap Coven
The Shallows: Fish Head Coven

Players can typically find each of these Almanacs in shops around Obojima or as gifts from significant NPCs.

Each Almanac corresponds to a specific region and coven on Obojima, making it worthwhile to search for them in those areas.

You can ask your DM if your character would be aware of ingredient rarities and their locations; in-game, however, consult the Almanacs.

Testing Ingredients

The final stage in utilizing ingredients is to test their potency. For this, players must use an Arcane Detection Kit (ADK).

Using the ADK, players can spend an hour to test up to six substances, after which the DM will inform them of each ingredient’s attributes.

Players can also consult with witches in Obojima to test ingredients, though this may come with costs or trade requirements.

Brewing Potions

Once you’ve gathered and tested your ingredients, it’s time to brew potions. Here’s a straightforward process to follow:

Step	Details
Identify Ingredient Attributes	Use your ADK kit to determine the attributes of your ingredients, noting their scores.
Select Three Ingredients	Every potion requires three ingredients; choose three for your mix.
Sum Ingredient Attributes	Add the attribute scores for each ingredient to determine the type of potion.
Identify the Recipe	Refer to the potion list in the Obojima sourcebook to find out which potion you’ve discovered.
Brew with Muk	Utilize Muk, a magical substance, to create your potion.

Determine Ingredient Attributes

First, you need to identify the attributes of your ingredients, which should be revealed when you check them with your ADK.

There are three key attributes linked to each ingredient:

Combat
Utility
Whimsy

These attributes align with the different types of potions. Each ingredient carries a number indicating its score in these categories.

Picking Your Ingredients

After determining the attributes, choose any three ingredients to use. This selection will dictate the potion you’ll brew.

If you aim to make a specific type of potion, simply choose ingredients with higher attribute scores for that type.

Summing Ingredient Attributes

With your three chosen ingredients, add their attribute scores for combat, utility, and whimsy, yielding three total values.

From this tally, take the highest number; this will determine the potion type you’ll create.

For example, if your total for combat is highest compared to utility and whimsy, you’ll create a combat potion.

Identify the Recipe

Now, take the highest attribute score you calculated, consult the potion list, and follow this guideline:

The highest ingredient score equals the potion number you’ll brew.

The potion list will be numbered; thus, match your highest score with the corresponding potion to determine what you will brew.

If your leading attribute score is, say, 19 for utility, then you’ll brew the 19th potion on the utility potion list.

Creating Potion with Muk

With your recipe in hand, combine your ingredients with Muk, a magical element commonly found in Obojima.

To brew potions, you must also be proficient with alchemy supplies.

To craft your potion, mix your three ingredients with a specified amount of Muk worth gold based on the potion’s rarity:

Common Potion = 15 Gold worth of Muk
Uncommon Potion = 75 Gold worth of Muk
Rare Potion = 300 Gold worth of Muk

Once all ingredients and Muk are blended using your alchemy supplies, the potion takes ten minutes to brew.

Utilizing Potions

As detailed above, brewing potions can be quite experimental. You will likely need to try various combinations to unveil new potion recipes.

When using potions in Obojima, keep the following tips and rules in mind:

Potion Tip	Description
Using Standard Potions	Each potion has distinct effects and rules, including whether it must be consumed, spilled, or hurled. Check each potion’s specific guidelines before utilizing it.
Using Multiple Potions	When using several potions, be mindful that effects do not accumulate. The most recently consumed potion overrides prior effects. However, some exceptions exist. Certain potions can provide permanent effects, allowing them to stack.
Potion Sickness & Mishaps	Be aware that there are risks when taking multiple potions. Players must roll a DC 13 Constitution save if they consume more than one potion in a day or risk illness. This DC increases with each additional potion, and if a character becomes sick, DMs may refer to the Potion Mishaps Table in the Obojima sourcebook.

Potion Tip

Description

Using Standard Potions

Each potion has distinct effects and rules, including whether it must be consumed, spilled, or hurled.

Check each potion’s specific guidelines before utilizing it.

Using Multiple Potions

When using several potions, be mindful that effects do not accumulate. The most recently consumed potion overrides prior effects.

However, some exceptions exist. Certain potions can provide permanent effects, allowing them to stack.

Potion Sickness & Mishaps

Be aware that there are risks when taking multiple potions. Players must roll a DC 13 Constitution save if they consume more than one potion in a day or risk illness.

This DC increases with each additional potion, and if a character becomes sick, DMs may refer to the Potion Mishaps Table in the Obojima sourcebook.

The Potion Sickness & Mishap table is an optional rule; talk to your DM to see if they plan to enforce it while playing in Obojima.